Midweek Headlines – Dec 8

Premier Kathleen Wynne has announced the Ontario government is investing $20 million to install hundreds of electric-vehicle charging stations in the province. Environment Minister Glen Murray further informed the investment is being made in the slower level 2 and faster level 3 charges. The initiative is part of Ontario’s new $325 million green investment fund.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has renewed his election vow to forge closer relations with indigenous people. Talking to the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) that was attended by several chiefs, Trudeau presented his five-point plan saying his government’s top priority is the creation of a national public inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women.

As oil prices have fallen to $37 per barrel, employment levels in both Alberta and Saskatchewan is low due to jobs losses and loans on people is increasing.

Police is investigating a shooting incident that took place at Matheson Boulevard and Orbitor Drive in Mississauga on Monday evening. The 29-year-old victim came to a nearest police station and reported the incident. The man was hospitalized.

Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump has invited global condemnation for his remarks yesterday to ban all Muslims from entering USA. The Republicans and the Democrats have also disapproved his remarks.

Canadian dollar has fallen to 11 year low and slipped half a cent further to 73.59 against American dollar in wake of sliding oil prices.

India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is in Islamabad for the Heart of Asia summit. This is the first ministerial level meeting between neighbours after 2012. Before her arrival, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif held meetings with senior leaders.

According to ISPR, Pakistan’s Army Chief General Raheel Sharif has signed on the death warrants for four hardcore terrorists.

PCB has said delay in nod from BCCI for the India-Pakistan series might create problems in making logistics arrangement. BCCI in response has said delay is from PCB’s side.

Talking during the Heart of Asia ministerial meeting, Sartaj Aziz, Advisor to the Pakistani Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs said dire security challenges are hindering development in the region.

Reacting on the National Herald case, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has said she is Indira Gandhi’s daughter-in-law and not afraid of anyone. Responding to Sonia’s comments, BJP has said law is not concerned with who is whose daughter-in-law.

In the National Herald case, the court has asked Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi to appear in court on December 19.

Chennai is still struggling to get back to normalcy.

The families of 11 young boys who went missing in Mexico still do not have any clue of their whereabouts. Besides paying around IRs20 lakhs to a Delhi-based agent for sending them to USA, they paid another IRs45 lakhs to others to find out where their loved ones had gone. The families are asking Delhi government to investigate the case.

Suspended AAP leader Dr Dharamvira Gandhi has called BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu’s inclusion in AAP as an unwise move adding he is a misfit for the party.

The Shiromani Akali Dal-led Delhi Sikh Gurdawara Management Committee (DSGMC) has accused HS Phoolka of misleading the Sikh community for the last 31 years and helping culprits, not victims.

Keeping its eyes on 2017 Punjab elections, the AAP leadership is preparing to strengthen its set-up in the province.

Sangrur AAP MP Bhagwant Mann has raised the case of Gurmeet Singh Pinky in Parliament and asked the government to investigate the fake encounters issue in Punjab during 1984. However, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan disallowed the motion.